American School, London

The new Community Arts Building was designed by Walters & Cohen through an open competition. The Art Building includes large expanses of curtain walling with bespoke bronze feature fins belted to the framework.

On one elevation the bespoke façade passes through a glass canopy, stretching into a lower courtyard. The courtyard canopy uniquely allows water to drain freely into hidden gutters located within the panel.

The route allows the water to cascade from the high pitch glass canopy onto lower glass panels, create a complex yet simple design solution. The canopy allows the use of an outdoor, whilst giving weather protection to the area.

The scheme also included the development of a new swimming pool and sports centre facility designed ORMS. This included a new feature facade running along the south entrance, lightwells & internal glass screens.

The new lightwell, forms within the playground area, allowing natural light to feed back into the surrounding pool area. The design of these also had to ensure that they met with the structural loadings that would be imposed on these, given their location within the playground.

We thoroughly enjoyed working on a project with so many bespoke elements and we are glad it will provide stunning surroundings for the students for years to come.